Peace in Our Time Reflections: Volume 2
by DC-MarvelGirl 1997
Summary: A short series of vignettes from a few of our X-men, taking place in pages of Peace in Our Time: Mutiny. Covers Storm, Cecilia Reyes, Bobby, Logan, Warren, and Rogue.
1. Ororo Munroe

**A/N: **

**Long and behold, I decided to bring back the Peace in Our Time reflections, this time for volume 2. These short character vignettes help furthermore with character development in between volumes. These reflections will cover Storm, Angel, Iceman, Cecilia, Wolverine, and Rogue. Storm's are up first.**

**Be sure to REVIEW, and be sure to stay posted for when I post volume 3 of Peace in Our Time, which will be titled Peace in Our Time: Technological Decimation. What that title means, you will just have to wait and see. Volume 3 will be posted January 26th, 2020, which means we will be kicking off the New Year right, my friends! **

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**Ororo Munroe (takes place after issue 40):**

The pungent odors of the New York City sewers located underneath Times Square were not the most ideal scents to greet her nose. It was just as inconvenient needing to visit her cousin underneath the sewers.

However, that was the price that Ororo "Storm" Munroe had to pay if she wanted to visit her last, blood-related family member that she had left in her life.

Walking beside Evan in silence, Ororo struggled with finding the right words to say to her cousin. Hearing him tell her about how rough his childhood had truly been was something that weighed heavily upon her heart.

"If only I had known," Ororo told him as they continued to walk through the sewers. Somehow, she wasn't caring that the sewer water was soaking through her shoes and socks.

"You couldn't have. So, don't blame yourself for my fucked-up parents," Evan said.

_It sounds so simple when Evan says that I shouldn't blame myself. However, I cannot help but feel a sense of guilt that he had to bear the burden of such a tumultuous childhood alone. Compared to how he grew up, I was practically treated like royalty, even though I had to live life like a street rat since I was twelve years old. _

_Ironically, it did not start off that way for me. I had been born to a background like that of Jean. My mother, Tamara, was a Nigerian immigrant who rose above short-comings of coming from a poor country to become a doctor who owned a private practice. My father, Carter, had been a first-generation Haitian who taught English at Penn State. They were well-off people, who raised me to be proud of my culture. _

_My parents' values of being proud of being two people of color got passed down towards me. They made sure that I understood I was fortunate to have parents who worked so hard to earn a piece of the American dream. They both worked so hard to provide me a life better than what my mother had, and what my father's parents had had. To this day, I continue to love them even more for that. _

_That was why the loss of them had hurt worse than anything I'd ever experienced. Jean told me once, and only once, what she had suffered through after losing her parents and being separated from her brothers and sisters. She'd only told me once, because I can only begin to surmise that it still hurts her too much to speak about it. Not that I can personally blame her, though. Neither one of us enjoys talking about our pasts and what we've experienced after losing our families. It's only a small part of what bonds the two of us together. _

_I still remember vividly what it had been like losing my parents. But the way things had been before would not have warned me to have time for any kind of preparation. When it did happen, though, it was almost like God himself decided that he was done allowing my parents to live their lives as two, American citizens working so hard to provide me something better. All it had taken was a simple plane ride to Egypt. _

_One would wonder why my parents and I were headed to Egypt, of all places in the world. However, my father had gotten offered a sabbatical to teach English in Cairo for a full year. The way he'd spoken to me and my mother about it, I can still remember the pure excitement that had been residing in his eyes. I understood even at age twelve how badly my parents wished for me to experience different cultures, even though I was born in America. _

_So, at the start of the summer before I began seventh grade, my parents and I were boarding a plane to go to Cairo. I still remember how excited I had been to board a plane for the first time in my life. _

_However, that was when it struck. _

_All it had taken was a horrible thunder storm erupting in the middle of Cairo that caused the plane to go crashing down into a nearby, abandoned house. It hadn't occurred to me until now that it was during that plane ride my mutation had fully manifested. I remember having had strange seizures, and up until now, I hadn't put two and two together. At the time, at age twelve, I hadn't been thinking logically when the thunderstorm rocked the plane containing me and my mother and my father. My emotions had been at such a high state that I wasn't thinking with my head._

_Until then, nature has always been a comfort to me. I'd always been akin with nature, connected to it in ways that one couldn't begin to imagine. I find solace in attending to the flowers that I keep in my room at X-Corp. Just watching a flower simply bloom in the spring never fails to mesmerize me. The sweet smell, the vivid colors . . . I don't think there could be anything more beautiful than that. Nonetheless, when my powers manifested, it could have been my own anxiety that brought the storm. The head and the heart speak differently from one another, and they do not work well together. You head looks for knowledge. Your heart seeks to find the emotional connection. _

_My heart was telling me all that needed to be said, especially as the heavy winds and the lightning caused the plane's wings to catch ablaze. I remember the noxious smell of the flames filling my nostrils as the plane rocked hard before it crash-landed into the house below. All I remember was that before the plane fully crashed down, I'd gone towards the emergency exit of the plane and had jumped out, only to have the house the plane had crushed collapse on top of me. I remember how I screamed as the pieces of falling debris felt as though it were crushing me, making me feel as though I was sinking to the bottom of the earth. _

Ororo couldn't help it as she felt her eyes beginning to water, but she brushed the unshed tears away that threatened to spill.

Thinking back to that moment never failed to rock her world all over again. The events that followed only made the situation ten times worse for her.

_I don't remember much of what had happened after the crash. I can only assume that I'd blacked out. _

_All I remember, when I had awoken, was that I had been in a hospital in Cairo. I'd had a minor concussion and a few broken bones. Nonetheless, when the doctors told me that my parents hadn't survived the crash, it felt as though someone had grabbed my beating heart and pulled it out of my chest. All I knew was, I wasn't going to stick around and wait to get placed in an orphanage. _

_I'd taken the same approach that Scott had taken after he'd awoken from his coma after losing his family. I'd jumped out the window of the hospital, and I ran. _

_I ran until I couldn't run anymore. I remember to this day how my lungs had burned so badly, it felt as though they were being stabbed by the dry air that was screaming for moisture to come. I remember how the heat of the sandy roads hit the bare skin of my feet as they pounded down, until I finally found an abandoned house to take refuge in. Though I hadn't taken control over my mutation until the age of fifteen, when I had begun using it by means to steal food for me to eat. It was either that, or getting onto my hands and knees and begging for pity from someone. _

_I didn't want to have to give into wanting pity from anyone. So lied, cheated, and stolen in order to simply survive. I needed to be strong. I needed to be robust. I did what I had to do. I still do not have regrets about what I did by means of survival and just staying alive._

_I cannot explain what it's like, living out there on the streets alone. The only thing that I was focused on was subsisting. I needed to shoulder the burden alone. I couldn't afford to enter a state of grief over the deaths of my parents. I couldn't allow myself to break down. That meant needing to develop a thick skin a change instantly. Using my powers of manipulating the air pressure to form up enough wind to steal things like money and food allowed me to be sneaky about it. There were so many moments that I was afraid of being caught by someone. I have no regrets about doing whatever necessary by means of survival. _

_The only regret I hold within my heart is having gotten involved with Ebony Apophis. _

Ororo hid the shudder that threatened to make its way down her spine as she continued to walk with Evan through the sewers. Thinking about her time with the Shadow King never failed to bring her an uneasy sleep at night. It still haunted her deeply knowing that the Shadow King had had that much control over her. She'd been a lonely, vulnerable child, coping with powers that she was just mastering. It was probably the worst circumstance she could have ever gotten stuck in.

_Ebony Apophis had found me when I was just started my life as a thief. He'd seen me out on the streets of Cairo, and saw potential in me for higher levels of thievery. Within the months of being underneath Apophis' control, I'd graduated from just stealing food, to stealing designer watches, hundreds of dollars, and other valuables. More often than not, he was unsatisfied with the amount of stolen goods I brought back to him. _

_As a result, whenever he was unsatisfied with the amount I brought back to try and prove myself to Apophis, he claimed he was the only one to give a damn about me. He'd put me through countless amounts of telepathic torture. Add to that, I had to endure beatings as well at his hands. He made sure to keep me under complete control, to the point where I was submissive. I became submissive, because he provided me room and board, for free, along with a few other thieves that were living in Cairo. He oftentimes used children, because we were so easy to manipulate. We were young, naive, and without family. _

_I didn't think that I would be able to escape the hell that was my life. Scott and I's lives were pretty close in comparison given that we were both living as homeless with someone making sure we were submissive to manipulation. _

_It was like God had given me a second chance when I had picked the pocket of Tony Stark. _

_Mister Stark and Professor Xavier very damn well could have turned me over to the authorities. Instead, they'd decided to try and help me. I remember that although Tony had at first been mad, I also remember having seen pity in his eyes. It had been Xavier who had freed me from Shadow King's grasp. It meant that I could simply go back to thieving simply for food by means to survive._

_Nevertheless, I hadn't expected to have another run-in with the Shadow King again after two years of thinking that I had been freed from him. _

_When Shadow King had found me once again, it had been a huge shock to my system. I could hardly begin to believe that he had suddenly come back into my life. And when he decided in order to get revenge against me by manipulating me telepathically into thinking that Cairo was burning down, he was playing dirty. _

_All I'd remembered was a pure, paralyzing fear coursing through me as I'd watched the city that I'd called home for so many years burn down, at least in my mind. I'd done the only thing that I could possibly think to do, and that was summon a thunderstorm to try and put out the fire. _

_Little did I realize, I was drowning the city of Cairo and destroying it utterly. If it hadn't been for the professor arriving to my aid, and he and Jean Grey freeing me telepathically, I would have done a lot worse than just that. _

_Since then, I've grown grateful for the professor's kindness in offering me a future at X-Corporation. _

_Never once did I think that I would gain such amazing friendships in the likes of Jean Grey and Scott Summers. _

_From the moment I arrived, Jean, Scott and I hit it off immediately. Finding that I had so much in common with the both of them brought me a sense of comfort that I hadn't felt in years. They'd began to include me in their outings and introducing me to the world of social media and popular culture. Never once did I think that I could have friendships with anyone quite like them. They'd became, in the oddest of ways, family to me. _

_And recently, I watched as their friendship they'd had grown much stronger. This was especially noticeable after surviving the Savage Land. _

_Granted, we all had to rely on one another for just the simple notion of survival. But Scott and Jean seemed to be affected deeper given that they are growing even closer to each other. Truly, I am happy for the both of them, because if there's anyone who deserves a break at all, it's them. They truly are quality people deserving of something good for once, and I know that they will eventually wise up and admit that they feel a specific way about one another. _

_Everyone in the tower has taken notice. Of course, I notice a lot more given how well I know them both, and how much time I spend with them. They're two of my best friends. _

_Nonetheless, if there was one thing about this experience with the X-men that changed me was when I'd learned about Evan. _

_Evan being a mutant means that we've got at least one thing in common other than being blood-related. However, learning that his parents had been emotionally abusive towards him is still something hard for me to swallow. Now, as I walk through these sewers visiting him as often as I can, I take into account what Bobby had told me weeks ago about being there for Evan no matter what. _

_I understand that Bobby has been suffering considering his parents are on the path of disowning him. I'll never tell Bobby this, but I've heard him crying in his bedroom on more than one occasion. It is something that truly tears at my heart because I know that he is a good kid and has a heart that is bigger than his whole body. _

_But the least that I can do is fulfill Bobby's request by being there for my cousin whether he wants me to be there or not. _

_I never turn my back on family. _

_And my cousin is no exception. _

_He's the last blood-related family that I have left in my life. And I am never going to give up on having a relationship with him. _

_It's the least that I can do._

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**Up next: Cecilia Reyes **


	2. Cecilia Reyes

**Cecilia Reyes (takes place after issue 40) **

"I'm most certainly glad that Warren and Hank had managed to finally get FDA approval on the mutant-friendly allergy medicine," said Jean Grey as she unpacked a large, cardboard box containing the special drugs.

"Imagine what reverse-engineered children's Claritin, or even Zyrtec could do for mutants everywhere," said Cecilia Reyes as she pulled out a bottle of mutant-friendly Claritin to place it inside the medical cabinet.

"We can change the world of medicine," Jean said, before looking down at the clock on her cell phone. "Oh, I forgot to say. Scott's taking me to a movie in about a half hour."

"Which one?" asked Cecilia.

"The one that supposedly everyone is wearing adult diapers to. It's going to test my bladder," Jean said, pulling her hair back.

"Alright, go have fun," Cecilia told her, smiling as she watched Jean exit the medical lab with a slight bounce to her step.

'I can only wonder when Jean and Scott are going to admit it to each other. After all, it has been a month since we've survived the Savage Land together,' Cecilia thought.

_Never once did I think that this would end up being my life. I'd truly never thought that I would be putting on a spandex uniform, and being part of a team of superheroes. _

_However, what I can say that I am grateful for is my job position. But it was not like I'd had it handed over to me. It wasn't like it was a twist of faith for me. _

_It happened because from the time I was born, I had to push myself for a sense of achievement. _

_Being born in the Bronx, to first-generation to Puerto Rican immigrants, I knew from the moment I was three years old that I would have to live up to people's high expectations that were thrust upon me. I understood that I had to work every single day to have a different life than what my mother and father had. I'd been born the year after they arrived in the United States, and since then, they each worked several jobs to provide for me. _

_As one could expect, a decent portion of that money went towards my education. But that did not mean my parents put all their money towards my going to medical school. When I was in high school, from age fourteen, I'd worked several after-school jobs while also taking advanced placement and honors classes. _

_However, that did not mean I didn't face doubt from those who thought that I wouldn't make it out of the Bronx. _

_Where I grew up, I was one of the few people of color in a neighborhood where there were, for the most part, Caucasian men and women. It wasn't uncommon that my peers gave me more than one odd look, especially in high school. However, I concerned myself very little with my peers' judgement over me. _

_I still remember back when I was in my freshman year of high school, when I'd studied genetic mutation in biology class. It was during a time where mutants were very much an unknown. Nobody knew yet that an insertion or substitution of a particular protein along a DNA strand would grant individuals what I would call "gifts." _

_When one hears the word "gifted" these days, they associate it with meaning "crazy", "strange", or "abnormal". It's quite rare that you would find an individual who associates the word "gifted" with words like "special", "talented", or "wondrous". Oftentimes, I was looked upon as "abnormal" given my heritage, race, and my desires for a career in medicine. _

_Being faced with such adversity in my life meant two things. I could quit. Or I could work harder than my peers and prove myself to those around me. I remember the day my high school's principal approached me and told me that I had the opportunity to graduate a year early, since I was taking such advanced classes in my sophomore year of high school. I'd been rendered speechless by that, all things considering. The fact that my principal believed in what it was that I was capable of was nothing short of astonishing for me to hear at the age of sixteen years old. After I'd heard I had the potential to graduate in my junior year of high school, I took several advanced placement and honors science and mathematics courses. Once again, I'd found myself as one of the very few people of color in a classroom with fifteen other Caucasian classmates. Nonetheless, I'd made the commitment to myself that I was going to stand tall and work twice as hard as they did. It was that work ethic my parents ingrained into my mind that made my classmates respect me. _

_Before I knew it, I was being accepted into the pre-med program at Princeton University, where this time, I wasn't just one of the few people of color there, but I was also in a classroom with twenty other men. Walking into a learning environment such as that would be intimidating to most. Imagine being in that environment when you have got a mutation manifesting inside you. Under most circumstances, I wouldn't be intimidated. But having a mutation that I had to hide made it more intimidating. _

_I'd first concluded that I was a mutant when my powers had first hit me. I'd been getting headaches on and off throughout my third year at Princeton. At first, I'd chalked it up to an overt amount of stress due to the pressure I was placed under to succeed. Then, one night, the day spring break was supposed to start, I was out with a group of classmates. By that time, there were a few more women that were in my classes. Our ambition was what bound us. We'd just gotten through long, grueling hours of doing work in the health professions building on campus, going through paramedic training. When you are consistently on your feet for that many hours, in scrubs for that matter, you look for any kind of stress relief. And the medical and nursing students' ideas of "stress relief" included going to bars. For me, it's quite ironic that medical students would find stress relief in drinking alcohol, which was against everything we were ever taught in the classroom. One of the first things we were lectured about was how alcohol was purely unhealthy, and how we should stay away from it. _

_Truth being told, I hadn't even wanted to go to the bar. I'd went, because five of my friends had asked me to go. I hadn't even planned to drink that night, since I'd never once experienced alcohol up until that point in my life. But that night, I'd ended up having a beer. After that first drink, it went to a second one, and then a third. I'd been especially under the influence leaving the bar, especially as I'd waited on the curb for my cab to get me back to my dorm room. _

Cecilia could hardly help it as she clutched the metal exam table in front of her, closing her eyes as she felt a shiver running down her spine. Thinking back to the moment her powers manifested was always unsettling. It always brought her back to the time where she was the most vulnerable. It was the night that changed her perception forever . . . a night that made her realize quickly that she should never allow anyone to take advantage of her again.

_However, waiting outside that bar, I hadn't expected what was to come next. I was a twenty-year-old kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. _

_Never will I ever allow myself to be in the place again. _

_As I was waiting, a group of men had crept up behind me and grabbed me by the back of my head, placing a hand over my mouth so that I wouldn't scream. However, even though I'd had a couple drinks that night, it did not mean that my awareness was off by any means. I'd bitten down on the man's hand. I remember having drawn blood as I'd let out a blood-curdling scream. However, it did not stop them from dragging me down to the ground and trying to tie my hands behind my back with duct tape. One of them had gone to shove a cloth into my mouth to gag me after having forced a kiss onto my mouth. The minute I'd felt one of the men unzipping my jeans, I'd kicked and did whatever I had to do to keep them off me. I still remember how they punched me in the face and held a knife against my neck, threatening to slit my throat. Two of them had worked together trying to unbutton my shirt. They'd probably gotten about three buttons undone by the time they began trying to get my bra off. I remember one of them trying to grab my neck and choke me. They were trying to get in between my legs so they could lower their pants down and rape me. It was in that moment that I remember my headache to have gotten worse just as one of them slid his hand in to squeeze my breast. _

_The pressure had built up all around my head. It felt as though my entire head had been pounding as these men attempted to brutalize me. It was a pain that threatened to split my brain into two. Before they could fully take off my pants or get my bra off completely, I just remember having let out a loud scream as I'd kicked them off and I'd felt an odd force pulsing from me. In hindsight, it looked as though an invisible force was forming its way around my body, keeping the men off my body. Apparently, it had scared them enough that they broke into a run. Fortunately, a passerby noticed me in trouble and helped untie me. After I was freed, I'd gone to the police reporting an attempt at a gang rape. However, I did not tell the police about the very thing that had ended up saving my life. _

_The next morning, I'd awoken in my dorm room. I still could hardly comprehend what had occurred that previous night. I'd ended up looking through my notes from my first year at Princeton, from when I'd taken Intro to Biology in my first semester. There, I came across an old research project that I had done during that semester on genetics and mutation. _

_I remember having read through my thesis I had written, and I remembered a source I'd used that stated something along the lines of, "A substitution or an insertion is believed to grant certain individuals with advanced abilities . . ." _

_I'd ended up running a test on my own blood in one of the science labs, and it was there that I saw a strand of my DNA had an extra of the Thymine protein. _

_It dawned on me that that was what I was. _

_My mutation had kicked in at that very moment and had saved my life. It had been my fear that had triggered it. However, I did not know in the least how to control it, so I'd began practicing how to. After graduating from Princeton, I went on to get my PhD in both human biology and chemistry. It was then that my career at Claremont Regional Hospital began, and it was there, that I'd learned it was a hospital that was safe for mutants to get medical treatment from._

_Being employed at Claremont Regional Hospital brought forth a lot of fulfillment to my life. Knowing mutants were coming there because they simply had no place to go for medical treatment, I'd felt responsibility to take care of each patient. I gave every single person there my full attention, because they deserved that. The least I could do was give those who were as disadvantaged as I was the help that I wish I had gotten when my mutation manifested. When my mutation manifested, I had to do everything by myself. I had to handle everything on my own and put up a strong front just to survive. After the rape attempt that happened to me, I was determined to never allow something like that to happen to another girl, or boy. If I could help at least one person, I feel as though I help everyone. _

_It was there, I'd gotten one of my first patients in Charles Xavier. _

Cecilia smiled slightly as she reminisced about her first encounter with Charles Xavier, who had been diagnosed with spinal cancer. He had truly been the very person who had helped support her in her career. And now, she had the best job position that the world could ever offer.

_Charles continued to return many favors because of me helping him cure his cancer. Now, one of the biggest opportunities came after Tony Stark asked me to join X-Corporation as Hank McCoy's research assistant while he got promoted and employed by Stark Pharmaceuticals. For the most part, I'd thought that my role was just to simply be a doctor; to fill a role of mentorship for Jean. The spandex uniform was an add-on I hadn't expected to get. Nonetheless, being a member of the X-men wasn't something that I necessarily wanted. Maybe that's a big part of why I hadn't chosen a code-name for when we go out in the field. _

_However, in my short time of being part of the X-men, there were a few other things to come forth that I had not expected. Mentoring Jean gave me another sense of purpose. For the past few years, I hadn't given the idea of settling down and having children a thought. Now, suddenly, I became a "mom" towards Jean. I gave her somebody that she is able to call "mother." Considering everything that she'd suffered through until last fall, I take that into account whenever I spend the time with her that I spend. Each moment I spend with her, I am teaching her what it means to be an adult. She hadn't had that luxury for years. I remember how she'd told me about how she'd gotten her first menstrual cycle, and how she hadn't had anyone to turn to for advice. I'm determined to never allow her to go through that again. Anything that she needs or has questions on, I will always be there for her. But I do think, after the events that took place in the Savage Land, it forced all the X-men to get closer. Nonetheless, I cannot help but take notice to how close Jean and Scott are growing to be. _

Cecilia smiled as she paused what she was doing, especially as she noticed Scott and Jean passing the medical labs to head out for their night off. The two were locked arms grinning at each other. Add to that, Cecilia's nose could pick up that Jean smelled like she was wearing perfume. She could also distinctively tell that Scott was wearing a collared shirt as opposed to a t-shirt and jeans – which was his typical attire when he hung out with Jean. Three weeks in the Savage Land had caused the two to develop something.

And Cecilia had a good idea of what it was.

_It's been a while since I've been in high school, or even college. But I do remember what it was like to be a teenager. Given that Scott and Jean were stuck in the Savage Land together, they needed to rely on one another in ways they hadn't had to. I do not think I am the only one who has noticed how close they've grown to be. Not only that, being stuck in the Savage Land meant that all the X-men had to lean on one another for a sense of survival. It made us all realize who was truly going to stick out their neck for us in the end. _

_After years of needing to consistently look out for myself, I'd never thought I'd have a group of individuals looking out for me, and vice versa. _

_I guess that it takes on the meaning of, "When you're with the X-men, you're never alone."_

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**Up next: Bobby Drake **


	3. Bobby Drake

**Bobby Drake (takes place after issue 35) **

Bobby continued to feel the tears filling his eyes as he laid on his bed on his stomach, his head resting against his forearms as he stayed on a Skype call with Johnny, Peter, Angelica, and MJ.

After what he would refer to as the birthday dinner from hell, Bobby could hardly help himself as he continued crying the rest of the night. He still felt the embarrassment his parents had caused him that night. He could still hardly dare to believe his parents had confronted him like that in a public setting. Out of all places they could have done it, they had to do it on his birthday, in a restaurant.

If Bobby were to have his way, the conversation would have taken place in the privacy of his home back in Boston. He would have been more than willing to take a ride up to Boston for a weekend and speak about it with his family. But every phone call he'd been having with his father and mother had consisted nothing of arguments that usually ended with him crying, and trying to drown his sorrows with games of _Injustice _and _Mortal Kombat. _

"I – I just can't believe that they . . . that they did that to me," he said to his friends as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He desperately tried swiping them away, but they just kept coming down. He was worried he was going to drown in a puddle of his own salt tears at this point.

"_Bobby, I'm sorry to hear that," _Johnny said. _"You know you always have a place with me, Sue and Reed. Why don't you come over on Friday? I'm sure Sue wouldn't mind you joining us for dinner." _

"Isn't that your and Ange's date night?" asked Bobby, his eyes continuing to fill with more tears.

"_It is. But you're more important," _declared Angelica. _"We'll do whatever we can to help make it up to you." _

"Thanks, Ange," Bobby said, his voice choking more as he said, "Y-You guys . . . what did I . . . what did I – I do to deserve h-having you g-guys as – as friends?"

"_You didn't have to do anything at all, Bobby. We chose you as a friend because we do not give a flying crap about you being a mutant, let alone gay. It should not matter," _MJ said.

"_She's right," _Peter said in agreement with MJ. _"We'll see you tomorrow at school, alright?" _

"I – I just wish m-my parents w-would h-have stayed to . . . you know . . . at least see me try-out for track and field," Bobby said.

"_I know," _Johnny said. _"But my sister's coming tomorrow, and my future brother-in-law. You have their love, Bobby. My sister adores the crap out of you Bobby. You know what she says about you? That you are the best possible thing I ever could have brought home. Because when she learned that I made a new friend at school, she was terrified about who I picked. Then she meets you, and you, along with Pete, are like the sons she never had. And I think Reed is just happy I have another friend who is good at math; he sees that as free math tutoring for me, meaning he doesn't have to pay for anything."_

_"And you know Aunt May loves you, too. She says the same exact thing about you that Sue says. Trust me on that. You left your mark on our families, Bobby," _said Peter.

"Y-Yeah, I – I know," Bobby said, managing a watery smile. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

"_We'll talk to you later, buddy. Just hang in there," _Peter said, and with that, they hung up Skype.

Bobby closed his laptop and leaned back against his bed this time on his back, tears continuing to fill his eyes as his sobs threatened to escape his chest. He was still feeling horribly after the series of events that had occurred with his family that night.

His fifteenth birthday had turned into a complete and utter fiasco.

_I'd never thought that my family would do something like that to me, in a public place at that. In many ways, I am lucky to have such amazing friends in Johnny, Angelica, MJ and Peter. They've been more of a family to me than my own parents have been in the recent months. _

_Just thinking about my family shutting me out the way that they have been has been making me feel so sick lately. In the recent weeks leading up to my birthday it had been translating to a physical sickness, where I'd awoken with diarrhea due to the heaviness of it all. _

_It's almost as though every conversation that I have with my family has been leading to an argument. Every time I try to open up to my mother or my father, it's almost as though they've stopped caring. They dismiss my feelings and they showcase deflection at its finest. _

_I hate it more than anything else. _

_However, I saw it coming. _

_Maybe Warren is right when he says that I am consistently ready for a fight. It's what I constantly expect from my parents because I am always underneath the impression that they are going to fight me. But I can hardly help it, because that's all it's been recently. _

_My relationship with my parents has been growing to be so toxic that my anxiety has been coming back and getting worse. I still remember how weeks ago; I'd came out as gay to Scott and Warren. I remember how terrified I'd been, telling them about how I felt as though I did not fit in, even though we constantly say that when you're with the X-men you're never alone. Telling them had released a heavy weight off my chest. And they had both accepted me with open arms – literally and figuratively by the them both hugging me. I remember how their arms wrapped around me, and it made me feel as though for once, I was going to be taken care of. I remember how Warren told me that night it was all going to be fine. Those words alone made it easier to breathe, as if I was no longer suffocating with anxiety of needing to hide who I was. _

_Scott had never failed since day one to love me and care about me, like a true brother. And Warren has been just as successful, if not more._

_Just knowing that Scott and Warren accept me is something that brings me just a small amount of comfort. But my parents not accepting me is what hurts even worse. _

_It feels like a constant stabbing at my heart whenever I try and talk to my parents. If anything was proved tonight, it was that my parents cannot stand me or my presence. They're disgusted just by the sight of me alone. I don't need to be a mind-reader to know that. _

_I can tell because every time I am around them, it's written all over their faces. Jean may say otherwise, but I know my parents best. She doesn't. She came from a well-off, big family with several brothers and sisters. Her parents – from her description – had been perfect. Her family had been perfect in every way. She hadn't struggled with finding a common ground with her parents. Her older brothers and sisters had spoiled her and her identical twin sister rotten; in fact, her oldest brother had practically been her godfather. She cannot even begin to understand where I'm coming from. She may try because she's a mind-reader, but she could never fully get it. I wouldn't expect her to get it. I love Jean, but she needs to stop acting like she understands. She may have empathy, but it doesn't mean she's walked a mile in my shoes and experienced what it's like to have your parents be disgusted by you. _

_Even Scott doesn't get it fully. His parents may have been militaristic hard-asses who made him do a hundred push-ups as punishment for being disrespectful, but even then, that's not so bad. They didn't berate him like my parents do. They never talked down to him or made him feel worthless. I would take doing a hundred push-ups in the freezing cold over being talked down to by my parents. I know Scott was physically and mentally abused by a foster father, but he doesn't understand what it is like to have your blood reject you. _

_I'd tried my best to be open and honest with them tonight. I'd tried by showing them that I respect myself enough to share with them the part of myself that I'd hated for so long. And the fact that they rejected me shows what they really think of me. _

_They hate me. I just know they hate me. _

_It hurts. _

Bobby could feel the nausea hitting him again as more tears filled his eyes. He darted to his bathroom and he leaned over the toilet, preparing for the onslaught of vomiting. However, he'd already emptied the contents of his stomach earlier. Now, all he could do was dry-heave, clutching his stomach.

Closing his eyes, he heaved into the toilet, though nothing was spewing past his lips. Allowing another sob to escape his throat, he closed the toilet seat and just sat on the bathroom floor, burrowing his face into his hands as he broke down. He cried harder than he did earlier outside the restaurant.

"W-Why?" he asked himself out loud, shaking violently. "W-Why d-don't they – they w-want me?! W-What d-did I do – do wrong?"

_I just do not understand what the hell it is that I did that was so bad. My whole life, I wanted nothing more than to please my parents. Knowing that they're disgusted by me makes me feel sick. It's like I cannot do anything right at all in their eyes. _

_Why can't I do anything right? Am I not trying hard enough? What do I have to do to prove myself to them? I just wish that I knew what it was. _

_I cannot not be who I am. They cannot expect me to just change. Knowing my mother, she's more than likely going to want me to check into conversion therapy as an ultimatum to get us to start talking again. Hell, the woman gave me a purity ring in eight grade! She'd tried shoving those Focus on the Family pamphlets down my throat throughout the seventh grade. She'd tried to teach me abstinence-only education so that she could avoid talking to me about sex. _

_She wants me to believe that anything related to sex is a deviant. But she can keep attempting at changing me all she wants to. She's not going to succeed with it. As a result, I'm going to continue being a failure in the eyes of my mother and father. _

_I can only wonder if this was how Warren had felt when his parents had thrown him out. _

Bobby continued to sit on the tile floor, sobbing into his knees as he rocked backward and forward, shaking violently as he felt Warren's presence near him. He could feel Warren's arm wrapping around his shoulders out of effort to soothe him. Leaning into Warren's touch, Bobby felt the urgency to ask.

"Is – Is this h-how it – it f-felt . . . you know? W-When y-your p-parents threw y-you out?" he asked.

Warren just breathed out a sigh, hugging Bobby a little bit harder before saying, "Yeah. Yeah, it felt like this," he whispered, before getting up and patting Bobby on the shoulder. "Just know, no matter what if you need anything my door's always open. You can always come to me."

Bobby just rose to his feet and grabbed Warren into a hug of his own, closing his eyes tightly as the tears continuing to make their journey down his cheeks. He could feel his back being rubbed.

"It's gonna be alright. Just give it time," Warren murmured.

"Y-Yeah . . . h-how _much _time?" Bobby asked.

"It's different for everyone," Warren said before making his leave. "It took me six years to begin communication with my parents again. Take it a day at a time. Sometimes, you just have to let it all go, at least until it passes by."

"Yeah, I-I know. But at least I know how they feel," Bobby whispered.

_Hearing Warren speak about his experience of being disowned by his family, and eventually reconciling with them, gives me only a small once of hope. I just do not know if things will go the same way with my mother and father. But he keeps telling me, day by day, that it will eventually get better. He keeps telling me to have patience. _

_But just how much patience am I supposed to have? _

He was once again interrupted from his thoughts as he went back into his bedroom and laid back down on his bed. Scott was leaned against the frame of his bedroom door, a case holding a CD in his hand as he walked in. He didn't quite know what to say that would make Bobby feel any better. He hadn't had anything like that occur to him at all in his life. But the least he could do was provide some empathy, in his own way of doing it.

Scott just went over and placed the CD down onto Bobby's bed.

"That's from Jean and I," he said. "I figured we should give you something to look forward to, especially since your parents didn't get you anything."

"You . . . You didn't have to," Bobby insisted.

"No, we didn't. We just wanted to because you deserve it," Scott said. "Jean and I both spent our allowances on that. I recommend listening to track number six on that. It could help. Also, just know you could always come to Jean and I for empathy."

Bobby nodded as Scott left the room to leave him in solitude again. Going over to his computer where his headphones were currently plugged in, Bobby placed the CD into the disk drive to allow it to play. He went to track number six, as Scott suggested.

The blaring sound of a guitar solo playing in his ears blocked everything out as he soon enough heard vocals singing lyrics Bobby hadn't realized that he needed to hear that night.

_The walls between_

_You and I_

_Always pushing us apart nothing left but scars fight after fight_

_The space between_

_Our calm and rage_

_Started growing shorter, disappearing slowly day after day_

_I was sitting there waiting in my room for you_

_You were waiting for me too_

_And it makes me wonder_

_The older I get_

_Will I get over it?_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I didn't know then it would hurt like this, but I think_

_The older I get_

_Maybe I'll get over it_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I can't believe it still hurts like this_

_It's simple gestures like this that make me realize how lucky I am to have Scott and Jean as friends. Jean had been the first to truly accept me and embrace me for who I am. And Scott's support that followed was something that I hadn't expected at all from him given what a hard-ass he is. Scott is one I would think that has got such a huge stick up his ass, that I wouldn't think he'd have a side to him that's sensitive. If anything, his birthday gift to me shows that he does care. He doesn't express it with words, but with actions. His actions are more than enough for me. He and Jean had been nothing but kind to me from day one, and have done nothing but take me into consideration. _

_I don't think I've ever been more grateful to have friends who could act as family to me. Right now, I can take comfort in the fact that the X-men will always be there for me. _

Bobby kept his eyes closed as he allowed the song to continue playing in his ears. He sat back in his desk and allowed the lyrics to soothe him into a state of exhaustion as he slumped against his desk.

_The time between_

_Those cutting words_

_Built up our defenses never made no sense, it just made me hurt_

_Do you believe_

_That time heals all wounds?_

_It started getting better, but it's easy not to fight when I'm not with you_

_I was sitting there waiting in my room for you_

_You were waiting for me too_

_And it makes me wonder_

_The older I get_

_Will I get over it?_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I didn't know then it would hurt like this, but I think_

_The older I get_

_Maybe I'll get over it_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I can't believe it still hurts like this_

_What was I waiting for?_

_I should have taken less and given you more_

_I should have weathered the storm_

_I need to say so bad_

_What were you waiting for?_

_This could have been the best we ever had_

_The older I get_

_Will I get over it?_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I didn't know then it would hurt like this, but I think_

_The older I get_

_Maybe I'll get over it_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I can't believe it still hurts like this_

_I'm just getting older_

_I'm not getting over you, I'm trying to_

_I wish it didn't hurt like this_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I can't believe it still hurts like this_

* * *

**Up next: Warren Worthington III**

**A/N: The song Bobby was listening to is titled "The Older I Get" by Skillet, one of my all-time favorite songs. Like with these characters, I do not own any music mentioned here.**

**Also, Merry Christmas to you all!**


	4. Warren Worthington III

**Warren Worthington III (takes place after issue 35):**

Closing the door to Bobby Drake's bedroom, Warren leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds of Bobby crying.

Immediately after picking Bobby up from Chinatown, the teenager had resorted to hiding in his bedroom. However, just listening to Bobby in a state of tears brought an ache to Warren's chest.

_Of all people, Bobby doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve to have his family treat him like this, especially in regards to him having powers that he cannot get rid of. I know that if Bobby had the option to have his mutation come and go as he pleased; he would take that opportunity in a heartbeat. He would do anything to have his parents talk to him and treat him with respect. _

_I should know, because I had been in his position, too. My own parents had pushed me out of their lives, too. Except I wasn't as lucky as Bobby had been. I hadn't had anywhere to run. Bobby's fortunate that he does have somewhere to go. _

Stepping away from the wall, he saw Scott exiting his bedroom.

"How is he?" Scott asked.

"He's miserable," Warren said. "He's devastated. But what would you expect? His parents are practically throwing him away and are making him feel worthless."

Scott nodded as Warren stepped away from Bobby's door to go to his own bedroom. He closed his eyes, the sounds of Bobby's sobs sounding throughout the hallways of X-Corporation. Warren had never once heard Bobby cry that hard before, ever.

_Growing up, I was raised in an environment where everything was handed to you on a diamond-encrusted, solid gold platter. The Worthington family is a bloodline of the richest billionaires, so of course, my father was proud to have a son to carry out his name. He and my mother gave me every tool to succeed in life, but it didn't mean they weren't guilty of over-indulging me. Anything I asked for or wanted, I received. _

_I remember how I'd asked for the newest PlayStation gaming system, and my father had already had the PlayStation company on call to get me the gaming system in twenty-four hours. I grew up going to various vacation spots on private jets, given my parents have multiple vacation houses, in states from Colorado, California – particularly in Napa Valley, and even Hawaii. I grew up traveling for the best activities these places could buy. Surfing, hiking through vineyards, and skiing and snowboarding were common for when my parents and I would go away on vacation. By the time I was of age to attend middle school, I was attending the most expensive prep schools that money could buy. I was put through endless hours with various tutors who gave me extensive preparation with homework and studying for exams. _

_Now, I will thoroughly admit that I was an overly-indulged brat, who took everything for granted. I was in fact nearly blinded to all else that was around me. I wouldn't say that I was per say stuck up in anyway, because growing up, my family had been friends with the Southerns for years. When I was five, the Southerns had lost their company and they were in the process of starting all over. _

Warren turned his head in the direction of a photograph of him and Candy Southern together. Her raven-colored hair . . . her dazzling blue eyes . . . her smile. In the photo, he and Candy had their arms wrapped around each other, staring deeply into one another's eyes.

_I believe in a sense that my parents had every intention to make sure Candy and I grew up together. When learning that their best friends Thomas and Stephanie Southern were to have a baby girl, I think they made sure that Candy was destined to eventually become my wife. Candy and I were friends by the time we were babies. I remember having seen photographs of us swimming around the kiddie pool in diapers. When we were five, and her family was falling on hard times due to the loss of their business, she and her parents were living in our guest rooms at Worthington Manor. By the time we were six, we played house together in my playroom. Who would have thought that Candy and I growing up with each other would eventually translate to me developing a huge crush on her in high school? _

_I guess in an odd way, my parents' plans to ensure an arranged marriage between Candy and I worked, because I'd wanted to marry that woman. _

_However, that took time for me to develop any romantic feelings for the girl whom I considered to have been my best friend. By the time we hit middle school, we were inseparable from each other and spent every minute together. If we weren't in class, we were talking on the phone. We'd never spent twenty-four hours a day with one another. However, one day, when I was in the seventh grade, a new addition to the two of us came into our lives. _

_It was when I had been in the boys' locker room getting changed for gym, when I saw a group of football players harassing a newer kid who was in my math, history, and English classes. I remember having seen him being pushed and humiliated, being spat on and thrown into a garbage can that was in the room. _

_It was Cameron Hodge. _

_Even back then, I couldn't stand injustices around me. Oftentimes, I hated that the classmates in my prep school somehow thought that they were above others. Even though I was a spoiled brat at the time, that did not mean I liked it when I saw other people around me being pushed around and bullied. I'd seen Candy's family live through a time with no money due to the loss of their company. It was that day that I'd garnered a new friend when I stood up for Cameron against those guys. Plus, those guys knew better than to disrespect me. They knew who my father was. They knew if they touched me, they would more than likely get sued. _

_From that day forward, Cameron and I had become friends when I took him under my wing, and I offered him a place in my friendship with Candy Southern. At the time, Cameron's father and mother were on the verge of losing their business, and barely had any money. In fact, Cameron had been at my school on scholarship, strictly. By the time we reached my freshman year of high school, Cam's mother and father managed to get their company back. However, that was also the year where Cameron and I's popularity escalated. Our stupid, boyhood behavior became even stupider as we began going to parties. _

_At these parties, underage drinking was something that was pretty common. And Cameron, Candy and I may or may not have gotten piss-faced on more than one occasion. Ninety percent of the time at those parties, it consisted of me, Cameron, and Candy sitting around on couches getting piss-faced on hard liquor and beer. _

_However, it was my sophomore year that brought forth more changes than I could ever expect to. _

_When one enters high school, they think the worst thing about puberty is growing pubic hair or even worse, having an awkward boner at the worst possible time. I can attest as a man that this has happened on more than one occasion. Nonetheless, I hadn't expected something else to come with puberty. It was an addition that I didn't think I would end up having. _

_It all started in the last week of August, right before my second year of high school began. I'd woken up one day with this odd pain that was in my spine, as if my spinal cord was splitting apart. As I'd gotten up from bed, I remember the intense pain growing worse, along my spine and my neck, as if I were having a vulture's neck. I was confused. I didn't do anything that would cause something like that, ever. The pain was so bad that I couldn't roll my shoulders back to realign my spine. My parents ended up walking in on me with my back hunched over in pain, and they'd ended up scheduling me a trip to the doctor's office. _

_The doctor had surmised that it was simply back problems, and recommend I see a back specialist. It was in that first appointment that I'd ended up in an intense physical therapy session of being stretched in every way possible. But it did nothing to relieve the pain that my back was in. Nonetheless, I had to resume school. So, I'd ended up entering my sophomore year of high school with severe back pains, and a note excusing me from gym class participation. _

_However, it wasn't until one day that I caught sight of something in the mirror as I'd been dressing into my school uniform. I'd noticed something growing out of my spine . . . something bone-like. I felt nothing but panicked especially as I'd noticed white, fluffy feathers sprouting from my back. _

Warren closed his eyes, tightening his jaw slightly. The sounds of Bobby's cries had reduced to sniffles across the hall. Rising from his bed, he proceeded to head to Bobby's bedroom, to see the teenager was dozing off at his desk with headphones in his ears. His face was tear-stained, and his eyes were swollen, but at least he wasn't sobbing and shaking like he had been earlier. Ever so gently, Warren walked over to the teenager and pulled the headphones out of his ears, before bending down and lifting Bobby up and into his arms to carry him to his bed. Laying Bobby down on the mattress, he reached for a blanket and wrapped it over Bobby. He pushed some of the blonde hair off Bobby's forehead and ran a hand down the younger boy's back, before getting up and leaving the room. Walking back to his bedroom, he opened his window and walked to the balcony.

Pressing down on his image inducer, he allowed his uniform to be fully exposed, before giving his wings a flap. Jumping out of the window, he allowed his wings to flap and take him to a high altitude.

Feeling the cool air hitting his face brought him a true sensation of peace and serenity. He felt relaxed, and allowed a smile to spread across his face as he breathed deeply.

His biggest amount of solace that he had was up in the skies, breathing in the clean air as he rose to higher altitudes. It amazed him how just being up in the air could bring so much quietude and allow his mind to clear. Everyone had their sources of comfort. Scott's was music and working out. Bobby's were joking, video games, and playing sports. Jean's was running around Central Park for an hour every morning. Ororo's were gardening and flying. Hank's were being philosophical and constantly distracting himself with work. For Warren, his key to peace was flying. To think years ago he'd thought his mutation to be such a sin, he couldn't believe how much he hated his mutation at first.

_It dawned on me that day what I was. It dawned on me that I was a mutant. My parents had told me explicitly about mutation . . . how mutants were the cause of all the world's problems . . . how being a mutant was a disease. Never in my life had I ever felt such fear course through my body. It got to a point where I'd started getting ill over it, and my parents had kept me home one day because I'd been burning up with a fever and I was too weak to get out of bed. However, it was that day I'd escaped to my bathroom, and I reached for a razor blade to try and cut my wings off. _

_But the wings kept growing out of my back, despite my efforts. I just remember a lot of blood, and a mess of white feathers falling over my bathroom floor as I tried to cut my wings off. It was my first experience of self-harming, and it got to a point where I grew addicted to it. Unfortunately, one day in September, my parents walked in on me cutting myself with a steak knife. I remember the looks upon their faces as I stood there before them with my shirt off, tears pouring down my face as I stared down at the ground in nothing but shame. _

_I was disgusted with myself. _

_Even my parents seemed to be ashamed by my very presence._

_I believe that was the moment that sparked them to want to create their mutant cure, for me. However, one day, Candy had ended up visiting me at home. When she saw my wings for the first time, I just remember how awe-struck she looked. _

_I could handle a lot. But I could never handle the thought of Candy looking at me in disgust. She was my best friend since we were babies. I couldn't look her in the eye. I was afraid to see the rejection there. However, she surprised me when she'd gone up to me, and gave me the most precious gift I ever could have been given. _

_She'd ended up planting the sweetest kiss to my lips, her arms around my neck as she embraced me in every emotional way possible. _

Warren could feel his eyes starting to fill with tears as he remembered that night. Candy had made him feel so accepted . . . he still remembered the words she'd said to him after their first kiss.

"_Please, Warren. Do not change this," _she'd said to him as she touched the white, fluffy feathers of his wings. _"They're – They're beautiful. Please, please, do not get rid of this. You have a gift." _

"_And you don't care?" _Warren had asked her at the time.

"_Of course, not," _Candy had said, smiling at him heavenly before kissing him again. _"You're my best friend, Warren. I don't care if you have wings or no wings. You're still you." _

Warren's tears streamed down his face as he remembered those words Candy had said.

_The fact that Candy didn't care made me feel relief. She made me feel as though I was no longer suffocating. In a way, she saved me that day. And after she'd said those words, I'd decided to put my powers to the test. I'd grabbed her by the hand, and opened the windows to my bedroom balcony. I'd picked her up in my arms, and I jumped out the window, allowing my wings to flap as I flew us over the night skies of my hometown. _

_I just remember how liberating it felt, with Candy and I both cheering as I flew across the sky, taking us to higher and higher altitudes. She and I were just laughing hysterically, her arms around my neck proudly as she looked at me with nothing but acceptance and love. She loved me for me. _

_It was then that I knew that that girl was going to be my wife. _

_However, when I'd told my parents my change of heart about the mutant cure, I remember the looks of disappointment on their faces. Not only were they there, but Candy's parents were there, and so were Cameron and his parents. I remember how disgusted Cameron looked, and how he was glaring at me and Candy with such contempt. _

_It was clear to me back then that Cameron had made his choice._

_But I always sensed that it was much more than me being a mutant that ruined the friendship between Cameron and I. In hindsight, I remember the looks he used to give her when we were in school together. He would stare at her for hours on end. It was clear to me that Cameron had feelings for Candy, but Candy hadn't felt anything beyond sibling love for him at the time. It just compounded after I refused to take the mutant cure to be "normal". Being shunned by my family hurt. Being shunned by the guy who was my best friend, that hurt just as much. _

_My parents had told me their ultimatum. Take the cure, or get out of their house. _

_Looking over at Candy, who had been standing there crying at the time, I'd told them that I couldn't take the cure. I couldn't take away the very thing that Candy loved and accepted the most about me. _

_Cameron had left my house without even saying goodbye. But I remember as I'd packed my bag how Candy begged me not to leave her. I remember her to have been sobbing hysterically as she watched me pack. Saying goodbye to her was the hardest as I'd hugged her that night. We'd both been crying especially as my parents arrived to my room to get me to the car, where they were going to drive me off to a hotel with enough money to last me two nights. I remember how Candy had cried out to me, begging for five more minutes to say goodbye. From my understanding, Candy had stopped talking to Cameron and our initial group of friends that we all hung out with. Her argument was if they didn't accept me, she couldn't associate with them. She jeopardized her own popularity and reputation to stay loyal to me._

_I don't think I've ever thanked her enough for sticking by my side. _

_I'd ended up in that hotel for approximately two days, until I finally ran out of money to stay there. That was what led to me being out on the streets of Manhattan, with only a trench coat covering my back. I'd slept in alleyways and abandoned apartments. I'd dumpster-dived for food. I'd tried going into a homeless shelter, but when they saw my wings, they turned me away. _

_Nobody wanted a freak living amongst them. _

_I'd probably been living on the streets for about a month when I had a run-in with the group of mutants known as the Morlocks. _

_Almost immediately, I'd found a group of people who offered me shelter. And by shelter, I mean the New York City sewage system. But it was all I had. It was down there in the sewers I'd ended up meeting someone, who became my closest friend down there. Eventually, she had ended up leaving for reasons that to this day I still am not aware of. But the reason why I'd ended up leaving the Morlocks was because I'd heard that they had plans to attack Worthington Manor._

_The Morlocks despise anybody at the top. The fact that I was the son of a billionaire, and that I had fallen from grace I think intrigued them, especially Callisto. _

_After I'd left the Morlocks, I somehow ended up finding my closest friend from there, once again. I'd had to depend on her constantly, and she had to constantly depend on me. We had to rely on one another for pure survival. We'd managed to last with just each other, until one day, our mutations were exposed when a group of street thugs began to attack us and beat us up. _

_I remember how my wings had been exposed, and my cover had been blown. I remember how those men had beaten me . . . how they'd kicked, spat on, and punched me over and over, to the point where it felt like my body was broken. I remember having told my friend to run. I'd told her to flee. Though she hadn't wanted to. I still remember how terrified she looked for me as she ran. _

Warren shuddered as tears flowed down from his eyes, and he proceeded to soar through the sky. Once he'd hit his desired altitude, he proceeded to dive through the sky, face-down, arms spread as his eyes closed. The cool wind hit his face as his wings flapped. He turned his body around to twist through the air.

_I don't remember how long those thugs spent beating the crap out of me. But it ended when two people ended up running in to try and help me. I remember those two people yelling, telling the thugs to back off and to get off of me. They'd ended up calling an ambulance to get me to a hospital. Being the stubborn idiot that I was at the time thinking I could handle everything myself, I'd told them that I had no medical coverage. However, those two people ended up paying the expenses for any treatment that I needed. _

_Luckily, my injuries weren't as bad as I'd thought them to have been at the time. I was told that I was to stay at the hospital overnight. It was during that overnight stay, that Tony Stark and Charles Xavier approached me. The professor offering to take me in as his ward meant that I was finally going to be taken care of and looked after, after having been forced to live out on the streets homeless. _

_Being homeless taught me a thing or two about survival. But it also taught me how to accept help from others who genuinely wanted to help. So, when the professor had offered to help me, I accepted it willingly. I knew that I'd had no other choice. One of the first things he'd asked of me was whether or not I wanted him to call anyone for me. _

_I remember having just told him, "Candy Southern". _

_After I'd ended up leaving the hospital to be taken to X-Corporation Tower, Candy had been right there waiting outside. I remember how when she saw me, she flung her arms around me and burst into a fit of tears. I couldn't help but hug her back, and from there on after, we began dating. _

_And Candy stuck by my side, loyal as ever. It was a testament to how much she truly loved me. _

_Candy and I continued to grow strong as a couple after we officially got together. I remember how I gave myself to her after our fifth date. I still remember just how ardent and magnificent it felt, to have the girl that I loved in my arms. But what further helped me gain a sense of awareness and a stronger self-esteem was when Carol Danvers and Logan Howlett entered the picture. _

_Carol and Logan had been brought in by the professor to act as my personal trainers. It was Carol and Logan's training and physical therapy that helped me grow not just physically stronger, but also mentally stronger. For a while, it had been just me, Hank, and Forge living here, with Tony mapping out all the ways we would help expand the company. Our future was in the hands of Tony and Professor Xavier._

_It wasn't until Scott, Jean, and Bobby came into the picture that I realized there were those who were suffering, and have suffered, a lot more than I ever had. _

_Sure, my parents disowned me. And yes, I had lived on the streets. But I hadn't gone through half of what Scott, Jean, and Bobby had gone through. Scott had arrived at the company heavily bruised and malnourished after years of having been homeless and being fostered by a foster dad who made him feel as though he'd never amount to anything. Jean had come fresh from having spent nearly ten years of her life locked away in a mental hospital, being forced to absorb the thoughts and emotions of the mentally ill. Bobby was struggling with being closeted, and his parents were essentially turning him over to the care of the professor. _

_I still remember the day Scott and Jean had arrived. In hindsight when I entered the plane, I saw them huddled in the back holding each other's hands. The professor had gone through telling them that they were to be examined by Moira, and I could see how terrified they both were. I still remember seeing their bodies shaking in fear at the thought of needing to be examined by a doctor. Not that I could blame them, though; Jean's experience with doctors was electric shock therapy and being heavily sedated to keep her telekinesis at bay. The first night they'd settled into their new environment, in hindsight I heard them screaming in their sleep, and I'd ended up running to their rooms to wake them up. Overtime, fortunately, they adjusted, and they began to heal. I know they have lingering scars, but I also know that they have gotten better. _

_Unfortunately, it was after Scott, Jean and Bobby got recruited that things began unraveling, for me. It was when I saw the news coverage that Cameron Hodge had every intention to work with my father to push the mutant cure forward. And when I'd learned from my dear old dad that Cameron had taken the mutant cure and kidnapped mutant children to take them to Genosha, I was pissed. _

'Damn you, Cam! Damn you to hell,' Warren thought as his eyes filled with more tears as he finally reached his balcony. Even though it had been months ago, he still couldn't get over Cameron's betrayal.

_And my anger only grew worse when I learned what Cameron had done. _

_It had been when I heard Candy's muffled screams. _

_Cameron had kidnapped her, and when I arrived with Jean to try and rescue her, I'd seen what had been done. Seeing Candy beaten and bloody, topless with Cameron having the barrel of a gun shoved down her mouth, all I'd felt was rage. His words to this day still make me feel enraged every time I think about it. The fact that he tried to blame Candy being kidnapped on me continues to make me sick. When Cameron had shot Candy in the stomach, I'd thought I was going to kill him. I'd been strangling him when I was hit with the realization that my girlfriend was dying, and that she needed me. _

_Hours later, Candy's death had been announced, and it was probably the biggest amount of grief I'd ever felt in my life. As if Cameron torturing Candy over a cellphone call wasn't horrible enough. Now, my girlfriend was dead, and I hadn't even had the chance to ask her to marry me. _

_I think the only positive thing that came from it all was that my parents and I finally began speaking again, and our relationship has gotten a lot better than it ever had. But I do know that there is one thing that will never change. _

_I have the X-men in my life. _

_When you're with the X-men, you're never alone. _

_And I know that I can take comfort in that I won't ever have to worry about being alone. After years of suffering, I have a family that I will protect until the very end._

* * *

**Up next: Anna-Marie D'Ancanto**

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Today, I decided to post Warren's reflections for Christmas Eve. This is a Christmas present from me, to you! **


	5. Anna-Marie D'Ancanto

**Anna-Marie D'Ancanto (takes place after issue 34):**

_Some say that rules are either meant to be followed, bent, or broken. Rules bring discipline. They bring structure. They shape us into who we are as people. Growin' up, Ah never considered mahself a follower. Given Ah grew up not knowing mah mother, Ah never had a woman in mah life tellin' meh the proper etiquette of being a woman._

_Growing up with that lacking of structure meant needin' to figure everythang out the hard way. Oftentimes, that never went over well with many. _

Anna-Marie "Rogue" D'Ancanto could hardly help but feel cynical as she laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as a single tear made its journey down her face. It took her everything to not burst into a full fit of tears. Looking over at her alarm clock in her new room, she saw that it was nearly five in the morning.

Even though the voices had quieted significantly, the lingering scars were significantly still there deep within. Sleep wouldn't come even though she'd slept the whole plane ride.

A shudder ran down her spine. Somehow, she was still freezing cold even though she had been changed into clean, warm clothes, most likely thanks to that of Cecilia Reyes who had given her clothing out of Jean's room. Tightening the blankets around her body, she shut her eyes tightly, willing for some sleep to come to her mind.

_Never knowin' mah biological mom meant Ah constantly went searching for approval in all the wrong places. Growing up, mah daddy made meh feel as though Ah would never amount to anythang at all. Every time he looked at meh, Ah can only assume he saw his late wife, and thought Ah would never compare to her. Now that Ah see it that way, Ah feel some sympathy. But the man made it clear he thought that Ah could never do anythang right. Everything Ah ever tried doing, he would shut down immediately. Every Father's Day gift Ah ever made him wasn't ever good enough. That lacking of self-worth and the way mah dad treated me amounted to meh doing whatever it took necessary to be a rule breaker. _

_In sixth grade, mah X-men codename of "Rogue" seemed to be a reflection of mah behavior growing up. In sixth grade, when Ah was twelve, it started with cuttin' class. Ah would skip English class with a group of classmates who would sneak marijuana on school grounds. We would sneak off behind the gymnasium and smoke pot until the next class of the day began. Lunch hours would consist of us sneaking our lunches to the football field, to eat underneath the bleachers and smoke. _

_This behavior became consistent. Of course, mah daddy did not take to that well at all. Every time Ah came home, he'd scold meh. But Ah would just respond with an eye-roll that on more than one occasion earned meh a slap in the face. Now that Ah look upon those moments in hindsight, Ah deserved that treatment given the amount of disrespect Ah displayed. Mah teachers put meh in detention on more than one occasion, but even then, Ah never responded to that discipline. _

_Though in the strangest way, Ah wish now that Ah did. _

Anna-Marie just curled her body tighter. She could feel her body growing tenser as she tried willing for sleep to come. But it just wouldn't come. Pushing the blankets off her shivering body, she reached for a sweatshirt that was there in the room.

'One of Jean's,' she thought as she proceeded to head towards the kitchens for hopefully an early breakfast.

_Mah disobedience carried to the rest of mah middle school years. It was a miracle that Ah even graduated middle school to begin with. But mah dad didn't show up to mah middle school graduation. More than anythang, it hurt. Not seein' him out there in the crowd left meh in disappointment. But then Ah remembered Ah was a complete disappointment to him. After the ceremony, mah friends and Ah ended up stealing a pick-up truck and we went joyriding around town, smoking marijuana. _

_Eventually, marijuana graduated to other addictive things. By the time Ah reached my high school years, Ah began partying, hard, where activities like vapin', drinkin', and vandalizing property became regular. _

_These parties were in the oddest way mah key to fighting back against every rule everyone had set out for meh. Mah best friend, Risty Wilde, was definitely the ring-leader of our little group. Parties would be thrown, and we'd spend our time at these parties heavily drinkin' and vapin'__. Not that Ah mined it, though. The alcohol numbed mah mind and distracted meh from reality. The vape was an oddly satisfiyin' releease. It was quite the rush. Sneaking out and drinkin' away at these parties garnered meh popularity with the trouble-makers at school. It got to the point where Ah bleached mah bangs out of attempt at standing out from the crowd. Ah didn't wanna conform to anyone's rules and authority. _

_When mah daddy saw mah hair, of course, he flipped. Ah still remember how he yelled at meh for destroyin' mah hair. But the more he yelled; the less Ah cared. Ah could hardly bring mahself to care about any rules mapped out for meh. Mah high school counselor showed consistent frustration with meh. _

"_You have some much potential." _

"_You're throwin' your life away." _

"_Try harder." _

"_Make something of yourself." _

_The more they said those words, the less responsive Ah became to their words. Ah'll admit Ah mouthed off to those around meh. It was wavin' a huge middle finger solute at any person in authority over meh. _

Spooning some Cocoa Puffs into her mouth, the chocolatey taste brought her a level of comfort that she hadn't felt in years. Closing her eyes, Anna-Marie took a deep breath as she ate. Looking down at her hands, which were now covered with gloves, she shuddered. Everything that had occurred was still so raw in her mind, she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to sleep through the night.

_This carried over to mah sophomore year of high school, and then mah junior year. Mah rebellious ways garnered meh popularity, even with the football players and the cheerleaders. It surprised meh more than it should have. But then, Ah caught the attention of him. _

_Cody Robbins. _

_Dang, every time Ah close mah eyes, Ah still remember him. His sandy hair . . . his smile . . . his muscles; he was one of the hottest guys in mah high school. Never once, had Ah ever thought that he would take any interest with meh. Ah was a degenerate problem child and he was a star athlete and model student. Our grades were polar opposite. Ah was headed for failing high school, while he was headed for a football scholarship. We couldn't be more different. But Ah just thought he was so cute. _

_Little did Ah realize; Ah was a mutant with a deadly mutation. Mutation wasn't talked about in mah high school. Nobody discussed it. If it was discussed, it was mentioned as evil, deviant, and something to be shunned._

_All it took was a beach party towards the beginning of the school year, alcohol, and a bunch of dancin', partyin' teenagers._

_It was something that Ah never thought would happen. _

_Ah still remember the night so clearly. Risty and Ah were out on the beach, drinkin' bottles of Angry Orchard, cans of beer, and glasses of wine. We probably had too much to drink that night to begin with. However, Ah guess Ah was starin' off at Cody a little too long, because Risty was telling meh to just go and talk to the boy!_

_So, Ah did. Ah developed the freakin' balls to talk to him, after months of drooling over him in secret. Risty knew meh so well. She knew Ah was infatuated with him. _

_So, when Cody approached meh, asking meh to dance with him, Ah could hardly refuse him anythang at all. Ah was a naïve, sixteen-year-old last fall, about to turn seventeen. Ah didn't expect what had happened to happen next. _

She shuddered as she remembered. It was the night that she seemingly lost everything. As she closed her eyes, the memory seemed to play out in Anna-Marie's mind like a movie that she wanted nothing more than to forget.

_Cody grabbed meh by the arm, and he led meh into a dance to a song that Ah liked. Ah don't think Ah could ever listen to that song the same way ever again. _

_Mah feelings for Cody bubbled to the surface. So, Ah kissed him. _

_What had gone from an innocent, drunken kiss between meh and this boy that Ah liked turned to the worst moment for meh. _

_When mah lips touched his, Ah felt as though the air was sucking out of him. It was the strangest sensation that Ah'd ever felt in mah life. It was a surge of such power flowing through mah body. And when Ah opened mah eyes, Ah could see that Cody was choking. His skin was goin' white as a ghost and Ah could see bright blue veins on his face. That was when Ah broke the kiss, but the boy was lyin' there in the sand, with his eyes staring out at nothin'. _

_Ah thought Ah'd killed him. _

_All Ah remember was that everyone was screaming and staring at me, calling meh a "mutie". When one of Cody's friends went to touch meh, Ah felt Ah was absorbing his strength as well. _

_All Ah could do was scream, and run. _

_Ah ran until Ah couldn't run anymore, and Ah ended up sleeping on a bench outside a train station in Biloxi, covering mahself with newspaper. _

_Ah was nothing short of humiliated from that party. Ah knew that Ah couldn't go back home to mah dad, because Ah knew that he would just see meh as even more of a disappointment. Ah could take many things. Ah wouldn't be able to take mah father's disgust. As far as Ah know, he hasn't looked for meh. He doesn't have any room in his life for meh, and it's clear that I am not a priority to him. _

_Ah do not remember how long Ah laid there at the train station bench. All Ah remembered was feeling cold, when someone approached meh. _

_It was a tall, blonde woman, who was offering to take meh with her and offering to give meh a meal, at least. _

_It was Raven Darkholm. _

_Raven had been truly nice to meh. Ah could hardly refuse any kindness from her. So, Ah went with her, and Ah trusted her. From the moment Ah arrived at the Brotherhood house, Ah was surrounded with those like meh. _

_It was then that mah training began. _

_Though Raven's idea of acting like a mother to meh was training me in martial combat and street fighting. Within a month of living with her, she was teaching meh Muy Thai, boxing, and wrestling. Her physical training made meh stronger. But mah first mission as a member of the Brotherhood was partaking in stealing the memories of Warren's father_

_Ah once again had more memories filling mah mind. But Mystique was training meh to be mentally stronger to block out all the voices. _

_Ah hadn't thought that it would escalate beyond that. _

_When the members of the Brotherhood got arrested by Alpha Flight, Ah hadn't known that Mystique and Magneto were already hatching an escape plan for them. If Ah had known what that entailed, Ah would have backed away sooner rather than later. _

_The plan was simple. Mystique snuck her way into the truck that Carol "Ms. Marvel" Danvers was driving, disguised as Carol's closest friend. Then, once she revealed her true identity, Ah was to grab onto Carol and absorb her powers to weaken her. _

_But the longer Ah held on, Ah could sense that she was dying. Ah wanted nothing more than to let go of her. But Ah couldn't. Ah held on until the truck ended up crashing and breaking almost every bone in Carol's body. Even though Wanda had looked concerned, she was still so focused on the task at hand. _

_When we got back to the house, Ah locked mahself up in mah room for hours. Ah was floating above mah bed, and Ah had all these new powers that Ah wasn't familiar with. On top of that, the dams broke, and Ah heard the thoughts of every person that Ah ever physically touched. Ah couldn't think of anythang else to do, but run away from another place that Ah called home. Ah flew off to the woods of Bayville, tryin' to gather mah sanity. But Ah felt as though Ah had no sanity left._

_Ah don't know how many hours Ah laid out there in the woods. But apparently, it had been long enough for Cyclops and Marvel Girl of the X-men to find meh._

_It was about ten minutes of Scott and Jean talkin' meh down and managing to get meh to calm down that Ah managed to open up with them. When they told meh that they were going to take meh back to X-Corporation, Ah was both relieved but also scared. Ah do not know what mah fate is yet, because Tony Stark and his lawyer are apparently gonna try and work out an agreement to keep meh from getting arrested for mah crimes. _

_However, Ah'm more worried about needing to interact with Logan. _

_Ah know that what Ah did won't be forgiven easily. But Ah need to find some way to move on and past it all. _

_Ah just don't know how that is gonna be done, yet. But Ah do know now, Ah need to quit bein' a rebellious little shit. Ah've gotta stop killin' mahself with drinkin' and vapin', because it ain't doing meh much a service at all. _

As she continued to sit there in the quiet of the kitchen in the early hours of the morning, she could hear that someone else was entering the kitchen. Turning her head, she saw Jean stumbling into the kitchen, blindly reaching for the coffee to start brewing. Jean's hair was unbrushed, and pulled in a messy ponytail. She was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and long pajama pants.

"How are you feeling?" Jean asked.

Anna-Marie sighed heavily. "Ah couldn't sleep since two am. Ah tried but Ah couldn't. Ah just – Ah still feel –"

"I know what you mean. I already brushed my teeth twice and I still feel disgusting," Jean said, trying to lighten the mood. Anna-Marie managed to crack a smile at Jean's sense of humor. "But in all seriousness, are you okay? That's all I want to know."

Anna-Marie sighed. "Ah don't know, Jean. Ah don't even know what mah fate is, yet. What Ah did cannot be forgiven. Ah don't expect Logan to."

"Tony will figure out a way to keep you from getting severe punishment. You are meriting of a break," Jean said.

"Ah'm not so sure of that, Red," Rogue whispered, shaking her head.

"Everyone deserves a shot at redemption," Jean assured her. "Besides, I'm making breakfast for Warren. You want to help? Just a warning; he's deciding to be super picky this morning. I think he's in a bad mood because he can't fly due to his injury."

Anna-Marie glanced at Jean. She could see the genuine desire of friendship in the girl's eyes as Jean grabbed eggs and pork sausage out of the fridge.

"Would he even wanna see meh given what Ah did to his father?" Anna-Marie asked.

"He forgives you. He knows you did it blindly, and he knows you did it because you were desperate to fit in. Trust me. He did a lot to try and conform with others," Jean assured the younger girl with a smile, wanting nothing more than to extend the olive branch first. "And oftentimes, it just led to stupid decisions."

"Okay, sugah," Anna-Marie said, rising from her seat.

* * *

**Up next: Logan Howlett **


	6. Logan Howlett

**Logan Howlett (takes place after issue 30):**

Logan Howlett had every reason to be cynical towards the world. He had every right to have a bitter viewpoint, given his dubious past and what it contained. His past, as far as he knew, consisted of things that were deeply hidden from his mind.

However, the one stable thing that he had in his life – aside from being a personal trainer to the X-men – was a love that was unshaken. It was a love that he shared with a woman who had her own demons that she hid behind a hard-nosed persona.

_The most sexy, tough-as nails woman sharing my bed . . . either I'm drunk, or I'm dreaming. Half the time, I think that I am in a drunken dream where I am experiencing nothing but what one would call "ignorance is bliss."_

_That ignorance is bliss bullshit could mean two different things. It could mean we are content with what we've built fer ourselves. Or, it could mean something else. It could mean an excuse for assholes to live in a world where they are right, and anyone who asks questions is wrong. Fer me, I'd clouded myself in my own type of bliss over these years. And she's right here, next to me._

The cold of the bedroom was ignored due to the warmth that was in the bed. Logan looked over at who was sharing the bed with him. Carol Danvers lay there beside him, her short blonde hair messy, and her face signifying that she was in a deep sleep. It appeared to be a deep sleep that wasn't being plagued by nightmares.

For that, Logan was content. Tightening his arm slightly around his lover, he looked at the alarm clock. It read 8:30 in the morning. Logan wasn't even sure what had awoken him. For all he knew, it was a suppressed memory from his past that continued to haunt his mind every day and night. Every little thing could trigger it. Oftentimes, he didn't understand why.

All he did understand was that he was pretty content at where he was at the moment with Carol in his arms.

_Carol was an unexpected surprise. But before her, I don't know much. All's I know, is that prior to having stumbled upon the members of Alpha Flight, I was nothing but an animal. According to the Prof, I was nothing but rage. I'd been found by Jean-Marie and her twin brother, out in the woods running wild until they shot me with tranqs. Even then, my rage and my healing factor kept me going on an adrenaline rush, and I did whatever necessary to keep them from doing anything to me. _

_They'd managed to get me to the Alpha Flight base, where Chuck performed a psychic intervention. All's he did was help me remember my name. _

_Logan._

_I ain't even sure that "Logan" is my true name. _

_However, when I awoke, I was in medical quarters at Alpha Flight, being examined by a doctor there. My first instinct was act on defense, and I'd nearly stabbed the woman as I began running out of the facility. However, before I could make my escape from the facility, it was Carol, as well as Heather Hudson who ended up stopping me. _

_I still remember how I'd acted towards them when I first met 'em. I'd nearly stabbed Heather. That didn't sit well with her husband, James MacDonald-Hudson, who'd ended up taking the stabbing for 'er. I still remember the glare he'd given me as he lay there on the ground, bleeding from stab wounds to the stomach. Heather was kneeling next to James, begging me to not hurt him. Then James and John Proudstar ended up grabbing me and restraining me, with Carol's help. But then the professor came, and he began explaining to me where I was, and why I was there. _

_I was confused shitless. _

Breathing a deep sigh, Logan reached for an opened can of beer and took a sip, before shaking Carol awake. She was naked underneath the sheets, given that the previous night they'd had a heated moment of lovemaking.

"Carol," he whispered to her.

"Mmmph, babe, what time is it?" Carol groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"8:45," Logan told her. "We gotta go. We've got a Danger Room session with the kids."

"Of course. Though I am assuming that Warren is not going to be partaking in the session?" Carol asked, sitting up and reaching for her shirt.

"No, he ain't. Kid's still recovering," Logan said, reaching for a pair of jeans that were slung over a chair.

Carol nodded, reaching over and grabbing underwear, pants, and a bra. She quickly ran a brush through her hair as she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

_What I'd done after I'd met the Alpha Flight members gave them every reason to hate me. Hell, it would've been just if they turned their backs on me. But fer some reason, they were willing to give me a chance. _

_I wasn't deserving of that chance. But apparently, they'd seen worse degenerates over their years. Plus, Carol pointed out to me I wasn't the only person who had been mind-controlled. Still, it wasn't easy adjusting to the new life that I was being given. _

_Alpha Flight had been set up by the Canadian government and SHIELD. It was set up by means to arrest mutant criminals who used their powers for the purpose of causing trouble. Now, I will admit, that when I'd first been part of the team, I didn't play along well with others. I more than once flipped off my superiors. In fact, the only members that I respected were Heather, James Proudstar and his brother, and Carol. Carol and Heather's feelings were always what I tended to put first before missions. It probably rubbed James MacDonald-Hudson the wrong way, but overtime, I gained the man's respect. _

_I'd gained his respect after having saved Heather. _

_It had been a mission that had led to things getting fucked up, real fast. _

_We'd been dealing with trying to arrest a mutant degenerate named Black Tom Cassidy. He'd been wanted for drug trafficking throughout the United States and Canada, and at the time, we were working with Black Tom's brother, Sean Cassidy. Unfortunately, Black Tom's immune to Sean's powers, as apparently often with mutants who are related to one another. But what Black Tom did was dirty. It was all the members of Alpha Flight stuck in a building with him, and the motherfucker decided to send an energy strike towards a gas tank, causing it to leak. Then, he set it on fire and nearly burned the place to the ground. _

_Unfortunately, Heather was barely making it out. As much as a dick her husband had been over the years, I knew I couldn't let her die. So, I'd ended up being the one to stay behind and I got her outta there, before the building exploded. I remember the look Guardian gave me. It had been a look of thanks. Since then, he's respected me. It's a respect that I sure as hell ain't deserve, but I am glad that I have it. _

_I honestly am ain't sure how Carol and I even got together in the first place. It just happened one day when we kissed. I ain't sure why we've kissed in the first place. I do not even know why it happened. Maybe it's got something to do with that we are both fucked up in our own ways._

Carol emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed. Flashing Logan a smile, the pair proceeded to head to his motorcycle so that they could take the Alpha Flight private plane to X-Corporation.

Carol got onto the back of the motorcycle; her arms wrapped around his waist as he drove them towards the plane Alpha Flight used for traveling to the states.

_After Carol and I got together, almost everyone at Alpha Flight noticed a difference in the both of us. They noted that Carol was suddenly becoming less uptight, and I was becoming less of an asshole. We somehow managed to balance one another in ways we hadn't expected. We are both damaged individuals with shitty memory of our pasts, and reputation for bein' aggressive when we lead. Carol is a woman who doesn't take shit, especially from me. She has an ability to whip anybody into shape. _

_We gave ourselves to each other just after our fourth date, and by the time we were datin' fer a month, we were moving in together. It moved fast-paced. But fer Carol, ya need to be a special type of man to keep up with 'er. Maybe that was why I was so attracted to her. She was someone I could easily go toe-to-toe with. It wasn't until something else came to us. It was another responsibility thrust upon our shoulders, as not just members of Alpha Flight, but also giving us roles to be teachers. _

_We had been called in by Professor Xavier to be personal trainers for Warren Worthington III, a winged mutant teen that he picked up from a hospital who had been living on the streets. When I met Warren, the kid had been undernourished, bruised, and weak after years of living on the streets. To say that he was eager to get whipped into shape would be an understatement. He was willing to learn, and he was a natural at it. _

_Little did I know, it would expand over to Scottie, Jeannie, and Bobby. _

_Scottie and Jeannie don't tell me much about their pasts. Jean's only told Carol and I the strict necessary, and other than that, she doesn't like speaking it about. But from my understanding, their experiences of losing their families was rather traumatic fer them to have to deal with. When Carol and I arrived to train them fer the first time, both were undernourished after years of having been through what they've went through. But I understand why they don't wanna talk about it. Carol and I both know how it feels to not want to talk about certain issues. I know Scooter doesn't want to talk about being abused by foster parents. I know Jeannie doesn't want to talk about spending time in the cuckoo's nest fer nearly ten years of her life. So, Carol and I haven't bothered asking them anything. We know if they want to talk about it, they will. _

_But I can say, that things feel pretty complete. I may not be part of the X-men as a permanent fixture, but I'm still one who is there to train them daily. I'm the one making sure that they are in the best physical shape. I am the one there teaching them how to defend themselves. Those kids are capable. But I ain't gonna just stop training them. _

_I know that they need to continue with their training, and Carol and I will continue to teach them fer as long as we have to. _

_Oftentimes, I question what I did to deserve those kids. _

_I truly didn't do anything to deserve them at all. I'm a screw-up with an even more screwed up past and a drinking problem. But fer some reason, those kids make me feel different. _

_It's a feeling of having family, and in the oddest of ways, being like a father._

_I'd never thought that I could ever have that. _

It was all a blur. Logan could barely remember having boarded the private plane and flying to New York. However, before he and Carol knew it, they were at X-Corporation, preparing to head down to the Danger Room for the session. However, as they passed the gym area while they took the stairs to the basement, they could see that Bobby, Jean, and Scott were playing a game of basketball, with Scott alternating between teams. Forge was off to the side, supervising. Cecilia was filling in the role of referee.

"Hey Forge! You mind joining in?" asked Bobby. "This isn't a fair game at all!"

"I'm supervising, Bobby," Forge said.

"Oh, please," Bobby said with a roll of his eyes. "If only Warren were here. Then it would be a fair game!"

"Bobby, Warren's in recovery in the medical bay. Shut up!" Jean said, stealing the ball with telekinesis.

"Jean, no powers allowed!" Bobby yelled.

"You snooze you lose," Jean said, running in and managing a half-court shot.

"Okay, you used your powers again, Red. Quit cheating," Scott told her.

Carol and Logan could only chuckle at the sight of the kids having their moment of fun. The sight of them being kids and having a good time was truly a sight to behold. However, Carol went into the gym, knowing that she had to break the news.

"Guys, Danger Room session in fifteen let's go!" she yelled, clapping her hands together.

"Thank you fifteen!" Scott yelled, grabbing the ball and putting it away. The three ran past Carol and Logan to beat them to the Danger Room.

Watching their retreating backs, Carol and Logan couldn't help but share grins at each other before kissing chastely.

"Let's do it, darlin'," Logan said.

Carol nodded, grabbing his hand as they headed to the Danger Room for the session.

* * *

**A/N: **

**And here you have it, the final of the reflections for volume 2 of Peace in Our Time! Thank you for those who took the time to read and be sure to come back for volume 3, which will be posted on January 26****th****! Excelsior! And be sure to review on this. Crimsonknight700, I know you requested reflections for Wolverine in this volume of reflections. Hopefully this satisfied you and I hope you read the other reflections that accompany this one. **

**Also, I'm aware of the lacking of email notifications for PMs. It's been beyond frustrating for me, because I always reply to every review I ever get for these stories, because you all take your time to read my work and I just want to let those of you who are avid readers of the series how much I appreciate it. An A/N will be posted here after vol 3 goes live. I will also see if I can expand my audience by posting it to Archive of Our Own as well, which I think will help with giving it more attention. **

**DC-MarvelGirl 1997**


	7. AN

**_Volume 3 Reflections are live!_**


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